Method of making shoes



Feb. 4, '1931. W 1,794,245

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Jan. 9, 1930 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 PATENT Price GEORGE M. BAY, OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR "20 'BANCROFT-. WALKER 00., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS METHOD or MAKING snons Application filed January 9, 1930. Serial No. 419,594.

This invention particularly relates to cer-- a suitably curved steel shank stiffener, which is practically inflexible, is secured to a flex ible inner sole, conforming the latter there to thruout llJS'SllilIlk portion, then securing the inner sole to the bottom of the last, after which the usual operations are performed,

this method having important advantages over the usual method of securing the stifiener to the inner sole-after the latter has been secured to the last.

For the purpose of enabling workman to position the stifiener correctly on the inner sole, the inner sole die has been constructed to form notches in the edge of the sole to indicate the position of the front end of the stiffener, and, while it is true that if the stiffener is first secured in the correct position on the inner sole and then the latter is secured in the correct position on the last,-the stifiener will be correctly located in the finished shoe, as a practical matter difliculty has been encountered in manufacturing shoes by this process due to the incorrect positioning of the stiffener in the shoe. This is likely to occur primarily by setting the stiffener too far forward, or too far back with relation to the indicating notches in the inner sole and by setting the inner sole either too far forward, or too far back on the last bottom, and, while the incorrect positioning of the stiffener on the inner sole may sometimes be neutralized by an incorrect positioning of the inner sole on the last, so that the stiffener will be correctly positioned in the shoe, on the other hand the inaccurate positioning of one is liable to be increased by the inaccurate positioning of the other, while an inaccurate positioning of either is likely to occur. If a shoe has high heel, there is necessarily a sharp bend in the shoe bottom at the ball line. or

' line where the front end of the shank part line of the angle between the shank part and the forepart, or to the break-line where the shoe bends in walking, the stiffener being formed with a bend near its front end which corresponds to the angular relation between theshank and fore part above referred to. When correctly positioned, the flattened front end of the stiffener should be in position to correspond thereto, so that the flattened f ont end portion of the stiffener will lie flat on the forepart of the inner sole, when the shoe is finished, otherwise, if the stiffener is set back towards the heel from'the correct position, th front end of the stiffener is.

likely tov press in againstthe inner sole and make it uncomfortable to thewearen'or, if it is set too far forward, which, in practice, seems to occur more frequently, the front end of the stiffener will be pressed out againstthe outersole, so as to detract from the appearance of the shoe and cause the outer sole tobe worn through at this point, after being worn for a comparatively short time.

The object of the present invention is to improve the process of. my said prior patent, so that inaccuracies of adjustment, either of the shank stifiener, or of the inner sole may be corrected at a subsequent time in the process. r

I accomplish this object primarily by at taching the stiffener to the inner sole in a manner which permits a slight longitudinal adjustment thereof on the inner sole after the latter has been secured in position on the last, then adjusting the stifienerwith relation to the last, so that its front end portionwill lie flat on the sole forepart and then securely. connecting the stiffener to the inner sole by means which positively prevent longitudinalmovement of the stiffener on the inner sole in either direction.

For a more complete disclosure of the invention reference is now made to the'zfollowing specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Fig. l is a plan view of a shoe inner sole showing a preliminary step in the process.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof. 7

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the innersole applied to a last.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a further step in the process.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view at line 55 of Fig. 2.

According to my present invention the usual form of initially flexible inner solo a is provided, which is died out to conform to the outline of the bottom of the last and is preferably provided with indicating notches as b, or some other conveniently proviced mark to assist the operator in positioning the metal shank stiffener in approximately the correct position, a shank reinforce '0 being preferably secured to the sole, which may be considered as a part thereof. A metal shank stiffener (Zis provided, which is similar to that disclosed in said prior patent, oeing pro vided-witli flattened portions (Z' d its front and rear end respectively, the side edges of which are parallel. The intermediate portion of the stiffener is curved transversely to give it stiffness and it is curved longitudinally to correspond to the longitudinal curvature of the shank portion of the last 'to which it is to be applied.

In carrying out my improved pr cess the stiffener cl is placed in position on the inner sole, with its front end approximately in a line between the notches b, and ma position in which itextends along the middle portion of the shank portion of the sole. The stiffener is then secured in this position by a pair of U-form staples e which are arranged astride the stiffener, one adjacent each end thereof, the prongs of the staplesbeing driven through the inner sole and clenched onthe opposite side thereof, as shown in 5. The stiffener thus conforms the inner sole to its longitudinal curvature and the latter is then secured to the last bytacks which are driven therein at each end of the stiffener. as shown in Fig. 3.

The staples e, by which the stiffener is secured to the inner sole, positively hold the stiffener against transverse movement on inner sole and also by a strong frictional engagement, to hold it against longitudinal movement thereon, so that it can only be moved in this manner when a substantial force is applied thereto. While the stiffener may be located in the correct position longitudinally with relation to the last bottom,

when the inner sole has been secured to the last, as previously explained, it is liable to be located too far forwardly, for example,-

Figfil, the stiffener is forced beneath the staples 6 until its front end portion rests firmly against the inner sole surface, as shown in l, and then the stiffener is firmly secured against further longitudinal movement by driving a tack, as f, thru a hole, as g, which is provided, at some point in the stiffener, preferably in its rear portion d as l e p shown in Fig. 4, the tack being clenched --.I!11lSi3 the usual metal plate on the last bottom as shown.

The subsequent operations of lasting applying the outersole etc; are then performed in the usual manner, with the result that the stiffener will be correctly located in the finished shoe and. all the desired and expected advantages of tl e' process disclosed in my said prior patent will be secured.

I claim:

The method of making shoes which consists in providing a flexible inner sole and a substantially inflexible metal shank stiffener which'iscurved longitudinally to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the last bottom and is adapted to'extend from a point over the heel to points, adjacent the transverse line'offlexure at the ball, initially positioning the stiffener on the inner sole and securing it thereto in a manner to prevent transverse movement and frictionally hold it thereon against longitudinal movement,

securing the inner sole on the last bottom, then repositioning the stiifenerwith relation to the last by adjusting it longitudinally against the frictional engagement of its securing means, then positively securing it against longitudinal movement from its aidjusted position, and then completing the shoe. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 1

; GEORGE M. RAY. 

